Continuing Calder’s obsession with spirals—a symbol of hypnosis and a form that is reoccurring in nature—is Four Spirals and Six Dots (1971), which depicts, quite literally, four spirals, that are each painted in gouache in a different color and size, with black dots partially overlapping the spirals. In outer space, planets and galactic debris revolve around cosmic objects, usually circling one with the strongest gravitational effect, which is often a star. In Calder’s painting, the spirals are manifestations of different galaxies and the six black dots represent stars that have collapsed inward and transformed into black holes. Black holes are known for possessing gravitational pulls that are so powerful that nothing, not even light, can escape its forces. Calder’s painting alludes to the significant role and power of stars—such as our sun, which is both terrifying and beautiful. It gives viewers a sense of where they stand in this universe, and how much more there is to it than our planet alone.

In his later gouache works, such as Pyramids and Sun on Target (1973) and Nuages (1976), Calder attempted to merge the three-dimensional with the two-dimensional, on the same plane, to create a sense of depth and perspective. Both paintings contain tetrahedrons in the form of pyramids, which are contrasted against flat circles. These works embody a passion for geometry and physics—perhaps they represent his vision of the universe, and his imagination, which one may be left to think had no boundaries.

Calder’s artworks earned him respect as a modern artist, which continues four decades after his death. Through his kinetic mobile sculptures and boldly-colored paintings, he is remembered for his lively personality. Calder’s outlook on the universe and its mysteries will leave viewers with a changed perception. In the end, one may say Calder achieved his ultimate objective—that of creating his own universe.

“Alexander Calder: Imagining the Universe” is on view at Sotheby’s Hong Kong Gallery until September 25, 2015.